Chapter 7
“Alright. Come here.”
Unexpectedly, Jisang coolly tapped the spot beside him.
Hari sat down on the floor beneath the sofa again, just like before. This time, however, Jisang followed her lead and sat down on the floor beside her. To them, the sofa was nothing more than a decent backrest.
A quiet stillness settled around the two of them.
Neither of them checked their phones; they simply sat there in silence.
The sound of her heartbeat, which she had been worried he might hear, gradually dulled, and her labored breathing slowly calmed as well.
Sleep began to wash over her again.
As Hari struggled to lift her heavy, drowsy eyelids, she acted on a fleeting impulse and gently leaned her head against his shoulder.
He accepted it without any sign of discomfort, remaining silent.
“…Mister.”
At the sound of her voice, his gaze finally shifted toward her shoulder. Hari, unwilling to meet his eyes, simply closed hers.
“Why didn’t you reply to my letters?”
Instead of answering, he let out a shallow sigh.
“I sent a hundred of them, you know. Not once did I get a reply. I kept wondering if I had the wrong address, if maybe they never reached you. I was always curious. Mister… you did receive my letters, right?”
Honestly, she had hoped he would say he didn’t know. Receiving a hundred letters and never replying even once felt too cruel. She didn’t want to feel miserable—so she would have preferred that answer.
But mercilessly, the words he gave her crushed even that faint hope.
“How did you even find my address?”
It seemed that their encounter six years ago had been a cherished memory only for her.
Despite the drowsiness overtaking her, Hari revisited that day with a bitter heart.
Twenty years old.
An age when one, intoxicated by the pride of finally being an adult, often fails to reflect on their own immaturity and is prone to making mistakes.
Like most twenty-year-olds, Yoo Hari had been the same.
Blinded by her grand ambition to become a film actress, she lacked discernment—and a predatory adult, sensing her naivety, reached out to her.
“A very important person is waiting.”
Without understanding what was going on, Hari was led into a VIP room tucked deep inside a room salon.
She should have realized something was wrong when they dressed her in a revealing gown under the pretense of an audition opportunity. But the girl, who had only just turned twenty a few weeks ago, was far too innocent.
“So this is what an audition is like?”
“Behave yourself. Everyone goes through this.”
There were more than ten top actresses said to have been groomed by CEO Kwak Sang-gu. Did that mean they had all gained their fame this way? Hari couldn’t believe it. It felt as though the sense of justice that had upheld her world was collapsing, leaving her betrayed.
“All you have to do is sit, have a few drinks, and make pleasant conversation. If you behave, you’ll become the most famous actress in Korea—and you’ll be rich.”
“Ha…”
She had never once thought becoming an actress would be easy. She knew it would be a long, grueling path, and even if it meant walking through thorns, she had resolved not to give up.
She knew that opening this door could turn that thorny path into a smooth road. Like a racing car on the autobahn, all she would have to do was speed forward—what an incredible privilege that was.
“I refuse.”
But Hari didn’t want to achieve her dream in such a cowardly way. It was her late mother’s unfulfilled dream. Someday, when she met her again, she wanted to embrace her proudly and say she had lived honorably as an actress.
“I will never do something like this.”
At her firm response, Kwak Sang-gu initially tried to persuade her gently.
“…Hari. Didn’t you say you wanted to earn a lot of money and help the kids at the orphanage?”
“That’s true, but…”
“If you get along well with this gentleman, you’ll land commercials and debut as a lead, not some insignificant extra. Of course, you’ll make a lot of money. You can achieve everything you wanted—so why refuse?”
“No. I still don’t want it this way.”
“…Hah.”
As Hari refused to give in, irritation began to show on Kwak Sang-gu’s face. He frowned deeply and let out a heavy sigh, clearly struggling to contain his temper.
“This isn’t an opportunity just anyone gets. Out of all the trainees, it’s being offered only to you.”
His lowered voice sounded threatening, but Hari did not waver.
“Then you should give it to someone else.”
“You little—!”
In the end, he couldn’t hold back his anger. He raised his hand high—
Smack!
With brutal force, he struck her across the face. Her head snapped to the side, her delicate skin instantly swelling red.
“You should know your place. I took you in without looking down on you for being an orphan, and this is how you repay me?”
His furious voice echoed down the hallway.
For Hari, the shock of seeing his true nature was worse than the throbbing pain in her cheek.
She had first met CEO Kwak Sang-gu during her university’s acting entrance exam. He had approached her with a kind smile, listing the actresses he had trained and promising to make her one of them.
Swayed by that kindness, she had even handed over the five million won settlement money she received from the orphanage as tuition.
And this was what she got in return.
It was the price of trusting someone too easily.
“Just shut up and come with me.”
Before she could even react, her wrist was seized. Without a chance to resist, she was forcibly dragged into the room.
“Hey! President Kwak, long time no see.”
Empty liquor bottles were scattered across the table, and the man seated at the head looked thoroughly drunk, his eyes unfocused.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting.”
“You should be. I was just about to lose my temper.”
The man slowly looked Hari up and down with a lecherous gaze, his expression softening instantly.
“But how can I stay mad when you’ve brought me something this fresh? President Kwak, your eye for talent really is the best in Korea.”
“I’m glad you’re pleased.”
Watching the man clap his hands in satisfaction, grinning widely, Hari thought he resembled an old catfish.
“Hello, sweetheart. What’s your name?”
Just looking at his face made her feel sick. Hari averted her gaze and refused to answer. In response, Kwak Sang-gu grabbed the back of her head and forced her to bow.
“This is Executive Director Kim Young-hoon of Chayoung Group. Show your respect.”
His clenched, restrained voice filled her with fear that she might be struck again.
“Hey now, be careful not to damage such a fine piece, President Kwak.”
“She’s not properly trained yet. My apologies.”
“All the better. There’s fun in breaking them in.”
Her refusal to reveal her name, even as she trembled visibly, only seemed to further stimulate the man’s twisted desires.
“Her name is Yoo Hari. Please take good care of her.”
“Of course, of course. Just trust me! Consider a Cha Foods commercial already secured!”
“Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.”
With that, Kwak Sang-gu shoved Hari toward the table and left the room.
“P-President…!”
Hari hurried after him, but the door was locked tightly from the outside, rattling uselessly no matter how hard she tried.
“No… please… please open the door! President!!”
As she desperately struggled to open it, the man approached her with a drink in hand, watching her as if she were something amusing.
“It’s alright. Everyone’s like this at first. You’ll get used to it soon.”
He draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. Hari recoiled as if something filthy had touched her. Chuckling, he tightened his grip and brought the glass to her lips.
“Drink this. It’ll help you relax.”
“N-No… please let me go…”
Trembling in terror, Hari kept her lips tightly shut. The whiskey he tried to force into her mouth spilled down her chin instead.
Annoyed, he grabbed her face and pressed her cheeks, forcing her mouth open.
“Mm—!”
As the strong liquor poured in, her throat burned, and she broke into a violent cough. Struggling to breathe, she lost even the strength to resist.
If only someone would break down that door.
A miracle she knew would never happen filled her thoughts.
At that moment, a sudden idea flashed through her mind.
